PROTECTING THE KIDS OR GETTING THE PRIESTS? NEW YORK STATE SENATORS CHOOSE THE LATTER

A bill requiring members of the clergy to report cases of suspected child abuse to the authorities passed in the New York State Senate yesterday. A similar bill is expected to pass the New York State Assembly next week. Both bills are now almost totally identical, thus making the outcome predictable.

Catholic League president William Donohue accused lawmakers of succumbing to pressure from the abortion lobby:

“It is now crystal clear—New York State lawmakers are more interested in getting the priests than in protecting the kids. Here’s what happened.

“In June, 2002, a bill that would require all adults to report to the authorities cases of suspected child abuse was withdrawn from the New York State legislature after a protest mounted by Family Planning Advocates (the lobbying arm of Planned Parenthood) and the New York Civil Liberties Union. They argued that only the clergy should be added to the list of professionals required by law to report instances of suspected child abuse. In no uncertain terms, they contended that if all adults were blanketed, it would mean that abortion providers would have to report cases of statutory rape. The bill was then put on hold.

“The bill that just passed explicitly targets clergy and ‘anyone in a position of trust.’ Senator Stephen Saland, bowing to pressure from the abortion industry, has admitted that his bill will exempt family planning counselors (a.k.a. abortion providers) from coverage. In other words, since Gloria Feldt, the president of Planned Parenthood, is in a position of trust, she would have to report cases of suspected child abuse. But this is a ruse: it is her counselors on staff that learn of these cases—not her—and none of them will have to report instances of child rape to the cops.